[jmontee]

My recommendations:

1. Start your CO2 back up at like 1 to 2 bubbles per second and keep an eye on it using a drop checker with 4dkH reference solution in it.

2. Run all 4 lights for 8 hours per day. With only 2 bulbs running you are not giving your plants enough light to compete with algae. All 4 would be about 2.2 wpg which is still on the lower side of the scale, medium light.

3. Continue with ferts.

The plants need a carbon source so I think that is your biggest problem, that and light. It may take a few weeks to really see a difference so just stick with it and wait to see.

 

[jmontee]

OK I'll give to the calculations for light but there still seems to be something out of balance. Most people have gone down to using an 8 hour lighting period so you may want try that.

My set up is:

Tank 55 gallon 48x12x18h.

Filtration Cascade 1000 canister filter

Substrate Aquariumplants.com substrate. (I think someone said it was like SMS)

Water I use tap water with kH 2 and GH 5 degrees.

CO2 Pressurized CO2 10# tank with in-line reactor

Lighting Running 2x65w PC and 2x28w T5.

Ferts Using EI dosing with fertsfrom Rex Grigg, K2SO4, KH2PO4, KNO3, Plantex CSM+B. 50% water change weekly.

About the same on fish and plants.

BTW what kind of algae do you have? This may help narrow down what is going on in your tank. Also, is there any specific areas that are worse? How is the flow in the tank?

 

[jmontee]

Man,

The green slimy stuff is almost definitely blue green algae. It usually shows up in areas that have little flow. It is actually a type of bacteria and can sometimes also be related to high phosphates, or at least has been in the past. I think it has more to do flow. You may be able to add a powerhead somewhere in your tank to make sure that you have enough flow like dog said. This along with a good fert regimen and lighting will help with all types of algae. Also with making sure that the CO2 in the water reaches all of the plants in the tank.

BBA (the little black tufts) usually shows up when you have CO2 fluctuations and too much nutrients in the tank. If the plants are not working at their best, ie not enough CO2 with good lighting, then you get a build up of nutrients and the algae farming begins. BBA can also be fought by spot dosing of fluorish excel. When you are doing the water change just take a syringe and inject a little right on to the areas of algae. This will get a very high concentration of the excel right on the BBA and in a few days you will see it turning pink and falling off.

The hair algae will also eventually take care of itself when things are working well. I would try and remove as much of it as possible though. Try maybe like three times a week to get in there and get as much of it as you can.

Obviously these are my opinions so take it is you will. My last comment will be to hang in there. I don't think that anyone in this hobby can say that they have never had an algae problem.

It shouldn't matter where you have the check valve. I have it between the bubble counter and the reactor.

 

[jmontee]

That's absolutely true. I haven't taken anything out of my tank, except plants, in like 7 months. Get the flow going in the tank and it wil help out.

Be careful of placement though cause if you put it to near the substrate and it lifts the mulm you'll have a silty mess for few days.

BTW how often are yu cleaning out your canister filter? Just curious cause if you get a lot of build up in there it can hamper the flow too.

 

[jmontee]

They go hand in hand. IMO you'll have to do both if your problem is as bad as you paint it. Remeber that algae is also using up a lot of nutrients. If the tank is full of it then the plants won't be able to out compete it. Also if there is any growing on leaves then those leaves will be starved for light. That's one of the reasons it is recommended to remove any leaves or plants that are sverly infested.

Get out as much as you can and get the ferts and CO2 going.

Also you can think about doing a black out but that's up to you. Check in the algae forum for blackouts and their results.

Don't forget that by cleaning out yur filter every week you may also be changing the bacterial content and thusly the biological filtration of the tank. Many feel that this isn't so important because the plants take up ammonia and such but it may be another issue in your setup.

 

[jmontee]

Man,

No ferts and full light will absolutely equal algae outbreak. Algae can survive with very little while the plants will suffer. You need to start up the ferts or you might have less than 5 days before you get more algae.